The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a higher initial rating for hammer toes, and the claim is dismissed.
The deciding factor: The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal of the denial of a higher initial rating for hammer toes.
- Claimed conditions
- hammer toes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2023
- Citation
- 23001488
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,677 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 23001488.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error and requires additional development, including an addendum VA opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral foot disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the preexistence and aggravation of foot disabilities during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional error in not obtaining an addendum or supplemental medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral foot disability, specifically his pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and hammer toes.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for flat feet, hammer toes, plantar fasciitis, arthritis, and hallux valgus, finding that there was no evidence of a pre-existing condition aggravated by military service. The Board also found that the current disabilities were not related to service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.